Ecclesiastes 2:15

Ecclesiastes 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I said in my heart, "What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?" And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:15

13And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness. 14The wise person has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both. So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?” And I said to myself that this is also futile. 16For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise person dies just like the fool? 17Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:15 word by word

וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי אֲנִ֜י בְּלִבִּ֗י כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה הַכְּסִיל֙ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי וְלָ֧מָּה חָכַ֛מְתִּי אֲנִ֖י אָ֣ז יוֹתֵ֑ר וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenאָז'âz · thenH227
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I in my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• As it happenethמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• to the foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• so it happenethקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
• even to meגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• and why was I then moreיוֹתֵרyôthêr · advantageH3148
• wiseחָכַםchâkam · be wiseH2449
• Then I saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:15

• Ecclesiastes 1:16I said to myself, “See, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.”
• 1 Kings 3:12I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.
• Ecclesiastes 1:2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15As it happeneth to the fool - Literally, "According as the event is to the fool, it happens to me, even me." There is a peculiar beauty and emphasis in the repetition of me. Having pointed out the advantages that wisdom has over folly, he takes this opportunity of reminding us of the danger of trusting too much to it, by showing that it is equally subject to the common accidents of life; and, therefore, incapable of making us completely happy. Having…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were all, we might be led to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?: Since the lives of both are short, the conclusion is that everything is meaningless. both will be forgotten: Future generations will not remember us or our achievements, so our efforts will amount to nothing (compare Ecclesiastes 1:11; 9:13–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. why was I--so anxious to become, &c. (2Ch 1:10). Then--Since such is the case. this--namely, pursuit of (worldly) wisdom; it can never fill the place of the true wisdom (Job 28:28; Jr 8:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:15

• Death
• Man
• Vanity
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Chance
• Happen
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings